Queens Celebrates At Pride Parade

On June 3, Assemblymember Aravella Simotas marched in the 20th Annual Queens Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Parade in Jackson Heights. Simotas joined Councilmembers Jimmy Van Bramer, Daniel Dromm and Julissa Ferreras, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, community leaders, and performers on the parade route down 37th Avenue. The parade and the multicultural festival that followed it kicked off a month of pride events throughout New York City. “It’s an honor to once again march in this parade and show my support for Queens Pride,” Simotas said. “This parade is a wonderful example of how far we’ve come as a society and to celebrate the incredible victories for equality this past year.” The parade was a vibrant celebration of the borough’s diverse LGBT community. The event drew thousands of supporters. “I believe that marriage equality is the preeminent civil rights issue of my generation,” Simotas said. “It was my proudest moment as a legislator and, frankly, as a person, to vote for marriage equality in New York state.”